Memory Box
by shayxel
Summary: Quiet days don't come often in The World That Never Was, but when Demyx brings home a lonely little music box, it seems to bring more than just a little music to the empty halls.


**Empty Melodies**

Zexion wandered the quiet halls of Castle That Never Was, clutching a large book on astronomy from the castle library as he took the liberty of taking a day off. Besides, what with anyone worth talking to either being busy or gone, there seemed no reason why he should have to do anything when no one needed help. The echo of his footsteps seemed to keep a steady rhythm, his mind subconsciously counting the beat so to keep occupied until he found a more comfortable spot. It was then as he counted that he began to realize his steps mimicking the tempo of a faint melody softly catching his ears. He paused for a moment to ensure he wasn't imagining it, and began to follow the vaguely familiar tinkering tune of a music box. He finally located "THE SONG," promptly freezing in place at the door before he steps up to the open room and peeks in.

Demyx didn't show any sign of acknowledgment to the higher ranked nobody as he continued sitting at his desk, watching in wonderment at the music box as the figures on top seem to dance as it plays. The box itself was about the size of a soup can and though could easily spin in the palm of one's hand, the shape of the stand would make two hands much better. It was a wind-up, the thin round stand perfectly circular as it held up the main body, which looked to the former apprentice to be a copper tuna can with a simple pair of figurines posed for a waltz on top. It may have been beautiful at one point, but the details had been worn down with time. The stand was speckled with light green patches of rust, and the only sign it had ever been painted were a few shimmers of gold embedded in the young girl's dress, the young man's shirt, and specks of black in the creases of their faces.

The looked closely at it, brief flashes of memory began to fill his mind. As much as the illusionist wanted to just walk away, his curiosity took the better of him as he finally tapped the water wielder on the shoulder asking in a falsely uninterested tone, "Where did you get that?"

The little blonde looked up at him from his current position with a confused glance even though he knew by the voice who it was. "Hm?" He picked up the toy with most delicate ease as it seemed to be a miracle it worked at all and cradled it to his chest for balance. "I found it."

The dark haired youth changed his expression from bored to slightly annoyed as there was no such device in the castle before. "I doubt that. Now where did you get that?"

Blue and green eyes blinked innocently as he held up the musical treasure to his companion almost wondering if by chance it actually belonged to him. "Don't be mad. I honestly just found it partially buried at the beach. It looks like its been there for years or something, so I salvaged it." A wry grin crossed his face, "Why?"

The teen stared at the gift, almost tempted to touch and yet not wanting to for fear of the memories that would come with it. At long last he went to place his book on the bed and returned only to lift the music box from the hands of its captor. The gift in his mind was still very precious to the one who had lost it. As if Ienzo were still present, he held it close, a vision of the young girl rushing over to thank him for getting it back. Demyx's smile faded as he watched Zexion wind it back to the beginning and seem to become hypnotized with the coppery charm. "Is it yours?"

"No," The former apprentice replied quietly, his eyes not leaving the figures as they spun blissfully, "but I know who's it is."

Demyx, curious as always, felt he was seeing a new side to often distant nobody. "Was it someone special?"

Zexion gave a slight smile, which was becoming rare these days. "Just a girl I used to know. An annoyingly optimistic little girl." He added quickly, as if to cover some mistake "Just the daughter of one of the servants." He held up the box to eye level, letting it spin in the palm of his hand, memories taking over, "This had to be her favorite item in the world, she played it so much I'm surprised it didn't break. it's a miracle it still didn't break when you found it." He finally looked to his friend, the face of someone long lost to the worlds appearing in his dark eyes, "I thought I was just imagining it, seeing as I remember listening to it in the night or hearing it in the halls since she carried it around like a doll. Every time I think of her, I think of this song." His voice turned soft, almost sad. "For a moment, just a moment, I thought she was here."

Demyx didn't want to pry, but normally Zexion was the better of the founders when it came to talking about his past. Should a neophyte have the courage to ask at least. "So does SHE have a name or something or were you just that big of a jerk to never ask?"

The youth looked over at him, the lighthearted boy fading with his smile as the usual empty expression returned. "Does it matter?" They remained unmoved in the sudden silence save for tinkering of the toy as its melody slowed. Zexion could see that Demyx wouldn't stop without an answer, and sighed. "Kairi. The girl's name was Kairi." With the music gone, the teen free of its spell, he carefully placed the now still device on the desk, trying to ignore the last reprise of notes as it tries to hold him with its song. "I don't see why you care so much, its not like she's important or anything. Just another one of the servants…"

Demyx could sense this "Kairi" was more than just some girl the nobody had met by chance in his former days, perhaps some unresolved issues too. The little blonde looks to the box with more wonderment than ever at the thought that this simple device could cast such an effect to someone even as closed off as Zexion and goes to wind it back up in hopes of capturing the youth again. His superior was right, but he had to ask. He had to know. He placed the music box back on the desk, watching it spin once more for a moment before turning in his chair to ask the illusionist. "So what ever happened to her?" In the eerie stillness, he glanced around and finally got up to look down the hall, but for reasons unknown to the neophyte, the only sign of Zexion was the book he left behind.

* * *

A.N. I don't know any BbS spoilers, but in my head cannon, I always pictured Ienzo and Kairi being very close. This was just a fun idea that came up a while ago.


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